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Don’t like vegetables? Tired of vegetables? So, on to the soup! But summer obliges, with cold soup! There are several options available to you… A small cold soup served in the spirit of gazpacho, combining vegetables, sometimes fruit and a dash of olive oil. Hot vegetable soups, especially Mediterranean ones, that are left to cool to be enjoyed at any time of the day. Coarse soups with legumes such as lentils or beans and grains (quinoa, bulgur, etc.) that you can happily take to the office. The common denominator? They fill us with health and allow us to eat vegetables (or fruits) that are no longer in optimal condition.
Raw or cooked melon, cucumber, tomatoes, pepper, beetroot are ideal in recipes full of freshness. As for quantity, aim for 150 to 200 grams of vegetables per person. Cheese and canned beans are added at the last moment, after blending the soup. Remember to leave a few cubes of raw vegetables when you peel them and add them to the soup at the last minute. You can add baby spinach, lamb salad or chopped arugula. If your soup calls for stock, heat it up in the microwave so you don’t have to waste time: pour in water and bring to a boil on high. Then remove the container and add 1 or 2 cubes (2 cubes per liter). Mix well to dissolve them. Feel free to present your soups in vegetable walls. It’s famous for squash, but try serving it separately as small round zucchini like zucchini, nice big apples, melon halves or coconuts.
To switch from fresh cream or milk, think ricotta, mascarpone, cottage cheese, soy or coconut milk, fromage blanc or flavored fromopharm. And to change up the croutons and add some lightness to a simple soup, choose toasted pine nuts, chopped almonds, chopped hazelnuts, unsalted roasted pistachios, Crisproll pieces or bread sticks. To add softness to the soup without weighing it down, add slices of Stilton, grated parmesan, crumbled feta, goat cheese, olive oil/mint and chopped basil fritters, mozzarella balls, grated cheddar, cubes of tofu…
If you can’t imagine a complete soup without meat, add some glamor with duck confit crumbles, pancetta slices, black or white pudding slices, roasted Parma ham, pepperoni slices, chorizo slices or small meatballs. . Sweet and savory cards are always good… Remember diced dried fruits: apples, apricots, raisins, cranberries, dates, mango, papaya, figs, as well as pieces of candied ginger, chopped coconut, fresh lemon.
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Flavor your soups
Just because the soup is runny doesn’t mean you can’t add sauce to it. Like a drop of oil, flavor your soups with a spiral of fresh herb salsa that’s good for both cold and hot soups. Mix 2 art. mint leaves, 2 items dill leaves, 2 tbsp. tarragon leaves, 2 items flat-leaf parsley, 2 tbsp. watercress leaves and 2 art. a spoonful of basil leaves. Add 1 peeled and chopped shallot, 6 drained and washed anchovies, 2 pcs. drained and washed capers, ½ lemon juice, 1 tbsp. mustard, 4 tbsp. spoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix until a slightly lumpy texture is obtained. You won’t find a better salsa verde. Feel free to make it in large quantities and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer in doses that you can add to your stews to flavor them. Soup can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 48 hours.
Vichysoise with a raisin
Rethink vichysoise by venturing into coconut. You will need 3 chopped white leeks + 2 coarsely chopped potatoes + 1 chopped onion + 300 ml chicken broth + 250 ml coconut milk + 1 dollop of fresh cream + 1 tbsp. at olive oil + 1 tbsp. at butter + 1 pinch of Guérande salt + toasted coconut shavings (optional). Melt the butter in the oil over low heat. Saute the leeks and onions without browning. Add broth and salt and cook potatoes for 20 minutes. Mix until a homogeneous puree is obtained. Pour coconut milk and heat. Serve with fresh cream and coconut shavings. It detonates! A simple and original decoration: cut the leek into matchsticks, sprinkle them with 2 art. at flour, toss well to coat, and fry for 30 to 45 seconds. Throw in the soup at the last minute.
White soup on the go
For an on-the-go meal that’s not expensive, consider a white soup, typically Italian. Take leftover 250g of stale sandwich bread + 200g of grated parmesan + 50g of parmesan shavings + 2 liters of chicken stock (3 cubes). Remove the sides of the bread slices, cut the breadcrumbs into pieces and put it through a blender until it is very fine. Mix the crumbs and grated cheese thoroughly. Bring 2 liters of broth to a boil in a pot. Over low heat, gradually add the bread and cheese mixture, whisking. Heat for about 5 minutes. Season with pepper and garnish with parmesan shavings. It can be eaten hot or cold whenever you like. Under the sun, choose watermelon, tomato and cucumber gazpacho. Mix 200 g of watermelon pulp, 1 half of a cucumber, 1 quartered seedless tomato, 1 clove of garlic and 1 white onion, peeled and thinly sliced, breadcrumbs, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1 pinch of cumin and salt The book is cool. Sprinkle with peanuts for added crunch.
detox soup
Make a light detox soup based on cabbage, brown rice and star anise. The taste of anise is very refreshing and goes perfectly with cabbage. Heat 500 ml of vegetable broth with three stars star anise. Let it cook for 15 minutes under the lid. Add 200g of cabbage of your choice and continue cooking for 6-7 minutes. Add 100g of cooked brown or wild rice. It’s even better the next day, when the rice has absorbed more liquid and therefore more flavor. Zucchini are light but soft in summer. To liven it up, add arugula for zing and pomelo or pink grapefruit for bitterness. Wash 200 g of arugula. Peel and dice 1 small zucchini. Boil vegetables in 500 ml of vegetable broth for 15 minutes. After 5 minutes of cooking, add grapefruit juice or an equivalent amount of juice. Stir the soup and let it cool. Reserve in the refrigerator. Before serving, sprinkle with citrus zest and a little oil. Zucchini makes perfect love with a mixture of black olives and sherry vinegar or beautiful summer mussels sautéed in garlic oil, a white wine base and fennel stuffing. Add volume to your bowls by making salted whipped cream. Whip cold whole cream into whipped cream and add some salt and some finely powdered spices – turmeric, sumac or oregano, or even matcha-type tea – for a sexy monochrome on a green soup. Prepare a cold soup by mixing 500 ml of tomato juice with 300 ml of carrot juice, 100 ml of cranberry juice, 1 tbsp. at English sauce, 1 tabasco and a pinch of honey. Serve with beautiful bread and noble meat products.
Almond soup
The emblem of Andalusian cuisine, ajo blanco is a very elegant cold almond soup. You will need 250 g of chopped almonds + 4 cloves of minced garlic + 30 ml of olive oil + 1 liter of chicken stock + 2 cups of white breadcrumbs, cut into cubes. For the filling, add 1 cup diced white bread crumbs + 30ml olive oil + 12 seedless white grapes, halved. Toast the almonds in a pan before adding the garlic and oil. Add broth and bread. Salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir the soup before straining it through a sieve. Refrigerate until serving. 10 minutes before serving, make the filling. In a frying pan, fry the bread cubes in oil. Salt and pepper. Divide the cold soup into bowls. Garnish with green grapes and diced bread. Drizzle with oil and serve immediately.
A wonderful cauliflower and lavender soup
For 4 people – Preparation: 20 min – Cooking: 15 min
1 large cauliflower, cut into pieces I 1 chopped onion I 2 chopped cloves of garlic I 1 tbsp. at chopped fresh ginger 750 ml of chicken broth I 250 ml of whole cream I 4 sprigs of lavender I 3 tbsp. at nut oil and salt and freshly ground pepper
- Heat oil and fry onion, ginger and garlic.
- Add the cauliflower, cream and stock.
- Simmer until cabbage is tender, about 10-12 minutes. Season and mix.
- Allow to cool completely.
- Sprinkle with lavender flowers before serving.